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Predicting Physicians' Intention To Measure Body Mass Index And Assessing Their Identification And Evaluation Practices In Overweight Children And Adolescents, Rahul Khanna
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
One health challenge receiving a lot of attention today is childhood obesity. Numerous public and professional organizations recommend that physicians periodically measure BMI in children and adolescents. In addition, guidelines recommend medical evaluation of overweight children and adolescents. However, studies have shown an inconsistent use of body mass index (BMI). This study uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to identify factors that explain physicians' intention to measure BMI in children and adolescents. Salient beliefs associated with intention were compared between intenders and nonintenders. The study also determines how physicians identify and evaluate …
A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Determinants Of State Medicaid Prescription Drug Expenditures, Sanjoy Roy
A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Determinants Of State Medicaid Prescription Drug Expenditures, Sanjoy Roy
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Prescription drug payments are the fastest growing and most widely varying expenditures across state Medicaid programs. To aid health policy efforts, this study identified determinants of drug utilization and expenditures using Andersen's Behavior Model of Health Services Utilization. A Structure Equation Model was built using five-year data for 48 states, to test relationships among the latent constructs of policy, access, predisposing characteristics, enabling resources, and need for healthcare; and, their influence on drug utilization. Only predisposing characteristics and enabling resources showed significant effects on drug utilization. Cluster Analysis classified state Medicaid programs into eight groups that differ on federal matching, …
Parents' Perceptions Of The Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet For Their Children With Autism, Annette Puglisi
Parents' Perceptions Of The Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet For Their Children With Autism, Annette Puglisi
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examined the factors that affected parent's decision for putting their autistic children on a gluten free casein free diet (gfcf diet). Parents completed a fifteen question survey relating to multiple factors affecting their lives while having their children on a gfcf diet. In addition, parents were asked to fill out a three day diet history for their child for a nutrient analysis.;Fifty three surveys (21%) and ten diet histories were returned. The majority of parents first heard of the gfcf diet either on the Internet (28%) or from Parent Magazine (32%). Desperation (25%) was the main reason parents …
Communication Patterns Following The Acquisition Of A Sexually Transmitted Infection, Courtney Vail Fletcher
Communication Patterns Following The Acquisition Of A Sexually Transmitted Infection, Courtney Vail Fletcher
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examines the relationship between personality traits and communication patterns following the contraction of a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Participants were 148 college students (46 men, 104 women) attending a large Mid-Atlantic University. Seventy-four of the participants reported having had an STI. Participants completed the Communication Competence Scale (Wiemann, 1977), the Interpersonal Trust Scale (ITS: Rotter, 1967), the Revised Self-Disclosure Scale (Wheeless & Grotz, 1976), the conscientious factor of the NEO Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 1992), the Health Locus of Control Scale (Wallston, Wallston, Kaplan, & Maides, 1976), and the interpersonal anxiety factor of the Personal Report of …
Views Of Health Care Providers On Low-Income Populations In West Virginia With Sexually Transmitted Disease, Genevieve R. Cox
Views Of Health Care Providers On Low-Income Populations In West Virginia With Sexually Transmitted Disease, Genevieve R. Cox
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This thesis focuses on health care providers who consistently diagnose sexually transmitted disease (STDs) in low-income populations. Eighteen providers ranging from registered nurses to physicians were interviewed about their experiences dealing with low-income patients, mainly women, who were diagnosed with incurable and curable STDs for the first time. This qualitative analysis which utilized grounded theory methods reveals several interesting findings. First, that providers who consistently work with low-income populations have a high level of empathy. They believe patients undergo a negative change in self-image second to an incurable STD diagnosis. Providers have concerns about a number of issues related to …
Economic And Humanistic Impact Of Medication Nonadherence In Patients With Asthma And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ashish V. Joshi
Economic And Humanistic Impact Of Medication Nonadherence In Patients With Asthma And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Ashish V. Joshi
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly impact morbidity and mortality. In spite of the well-known benefits of prophylactic medication use, especially in asthma, the rate of medication nonadherence is more than 50%. In Phase I, this study examined the relationship between refill-based medication nonadherence and healthcare utilization/costs in patients with asthma, COPD, and those with both asthma and COPD from the West Virginia (WV) Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) program. In Phase II, the study measured the relationship between refill-based and self-reported medication nonadherence, health-related quality of life (HRQL), and losses in workplace productivity, all of which were …
Suicide And Socioeconomic Context In The Appalachian Region, Joel A. Halverson
Suicide And Socioeconomic Context In The Appalachian Region, Joel A. Halverson
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Significant economic changes have occurred over the past thirty years that have altered the geoeconomic landscape of the United States. Although a considerable literature examines economic impacts that have resulted from these changes, there has been less work devoted to understanding the extraeconomic affects of economic change. Many places in the U.S. have experienced large-scale employment and industry losses over the past thirty years. At the same time some places have experienced rapid industrial and employment growth. Together these events represent the continued process of geographic uneven development and provide the context for examining potential affects that economic conditions and …
Quality Of Life And Clinical Outcomes In Type 2 Diabetes Patients At The Primary Care Clinics Of The West Virginia University Hospital, Murali Sundaram
Quality Of Life And Clinical Outcomes In Type 2 Diabetes Patients At The Primary Care Clinics Of The West Virginia University Hospital, Murali Sundaram
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examines relationships between quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes, specifically A1C, in Type 2 diabetes patients. Type 2 diabetes patients at the outpatient clinics of a university hospital completed the SF-12 and the Audit of Diabetes Dependent Quality of Life (ADDQoL), and this was merged with a retrospective collection of his/her clinical and utilization data, including A1C. Usable response rate was 44.3% (n = 385). Mean A1C of respondents was 7.2 (+1.4), mean diabetes duration was 10.2 (+9.1), and 62.1% were obese. Only ADDQoL scores showed significant correlation with A1C (r = -0.19, p < 0.000). Hierarchical regression models were used to explain the effect of A1C on QoL controlling for demographics and clinical variables. A1C was not a significant predictor in any regression model, although univariate analyses indicated significantly lower ADDQoL and SF-12 PCS in the group with A1C > 7.0. Obesity was …
Visual Basic Time-Space Query Modeling For Geovisualization Of Life Paths, Ryan Heaslip
Visual Basic Time-Space Query Modeling For Geovisualization Of Life Paths, Ryan Heaslip
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The origins and incidence of many health problems are related to geographical circumstances. To be able understanding the underlying contributing factors requires conceptualizing the problem in geographical terms. A temporal dataset of individuals' locations was acquired from an annual census taken in Sweden. A space-time query model was constructed to explore associations between an individual's residential locations for given periods of time to those of other individuals with similar heath, or health related factors. The space-time query model was created in the Visual Basic extension of ArcGIS 8.3. Results were in the form of selections that could be exported into …
Epidemiological Burden Of Depression And Its Impact On Adherence To Oral Hypoglycemic Agents And Related Economic Outcomes In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Iftekhar D. Kalsekar
Epidemiological Burden Of Depression And Its Impact On Adherence To Oral Hypoglycemic Agents And Related Economic Outcomes In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Iftekhar D. Kalsekar
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Presence of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes may affect their adherence to oral hypoglycemics and consequently glycemic control and economic outcomes. These potential effects may be more significant when one considers that depression is highly prevalent in patients with diabetes. This study involved two phases. Phase one of the study examined the epidemiological relationship between depression and type 2 diabetes. Phase two of the study examined the impact of depression on patterns of use and adherence to oral hypoglycemics in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients. Impact of depression on expenditures related to type 2 diabetes and overall …
Modeled Sulfur Dioxide Exposure From A Proposed Coal Fired Power Plant, Using Geographic Information Systems And Air Dispersion Modeling, Steven Jason Hutchens
Modeled Sulfur Dioxide Exposure From A Proposed Coal Fired Power Plant, Using Geographic Information Systems And Air Dispersion Modeling, Steven Jason Hutchens
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study models the contribution of sulfur dioxide (SO 2) from a proposed coal fired power plant (CFPP) above existing ambient levels. Most vulnerable to SO2 exposure appear to be the elderly, young, and diseased, here identified as sensitive receptors (SR). Epidemiologic studies suggest 260mug/m3 as the lowest toxic threshold for SR exposure. It was hypothesized that added SO2 concentrations to existing ambient levels at regional sensitive receptors, under worst case scenario, would not exceed 260mug/m3.;The methods used identify and quantify density locations of localized SR using geographic information systems. Modeled worst case air dispersion concentration exposure to localized SR …
Evaluating Utilization Of Beta -Blockers As Secondary Prevention For Post Myocardial Infarction In A Medicaid Population, Ancilla W. Fernandes
Evaluating Utilization Of Beta -Blockers As Secondary Prevention For Post Myocardial Infarction In A Medicaid Population, Ancilla W. Fernandes
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with high mortality and costs to the US healthcare system. Beta-blockers are known to reduce mortality and re-infarction rates when used for long-term prevention following an AMI. They are recommended by the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines in post-AMI patients. However, this therapy is both underused (error of omission in eligible patients) and misused (error of commission in ineligible patients). This study involved two phases. Phase one included evaluating utilization of beta-blockers in a Medicaid population and determining the effect of their utilization on patient outcomes such as mortality, morbidity, …
Dietary Patterns, Exercise Behaviors And Osteoporosis Knowledge Of College Women At West Virginia University, Jamie Sutton Deem
Dietary Patterns, Exercise Behaviors And Osteoporosis Knowledge Of College Women At West Virginia University, Jamie Sutton Deem
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study was conducted to describe the dietary patterns, exercise behaviors and osteoporosis knowledge of college women at West Virginia University. One hundred forty-one women were recruited (ages 18--27). Mean intake of nutrients including calcium (860 +/- 369 mg/day) was reported. Calcium intake was significantly lower than the recommendation (1000 mg/day; p < 0.0001). Mean reported exercise time was 54.4 minutes/day. This was significantly greater than the recommendation of 30 minutes/day (p < 0.01). Osteoporosis knowledge was measured by questionnaire. The majority of participants were able to identify 7/14 risk factors. A T-test indicated that individuals who answered osteoporosis risk factor questions correctly had higher intakes of calcium, but were still significantly below the recommendation (p < 0.001). Results indicated that exercise time was significantly higher in individuals who answered osteoporosis risk factor questions correctly (p < 0.001). These results suggest that college women do not have adequate intakes of calcium or knowledge of osteoporosis for prevention of the disease.
Trip Generation Characteristics Of Rural Clinics In West Virginia, Andrew Paul Morgan
Trip Generation Characteristics Of Rural Clinics In West Virginia, Andrew Paul Morgan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
With the decreasing number of hospitals in rural areas, more rural clinics are being established to meet the health care needs in rural areas. Rural clinics are small health care facilities that serve the primary care needs of rural areas. There are currently no published trip generation rates available for rural clinics. The only rates available are those presented for "clinics" in ITE's Trip Generation (1997). These rates are based on very small sample sizes and on facilities that do not adequately reflect the traffic characteristics of rural clinics.;Trip generation rates were developed for rural clinics in West Virginia. Traffic …
Sport Fish Consumption Advisory For West Virginia, William Alvin Warnick
Sport Fish Consumption Advisory For West Virginia, William Alvin Warnick
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The risk based sport fish consumption advisory protocol, West Virginia Sport Fish Consumption Advisory Guide (the Guide), was drafted for the state. Fish were collected from ten West Virginia sites (5 previously identified as contaminated, 5 previously identified as uncontaminated). Fish samples were collected, processed and analyzed for total mercury concentration and Aroclors (PCBs). Recommended meal frequencies were calculated from contaminant levels and based on the Guide. Mean fillet sample contaminant levels were compared to composite sample levels and found to require the same level or in one case a more protective of consumption advisory. Ten composite samples had Aroclor …
Prediction Of Life -Threatening Events In Infants Using Heart Rate Variability Measurements, Xueyan Xu
Prediction Of Life -Threatening Events In Infants Using Heart Rate Variability Measurements, Xueyan Xu
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of an infant under 1 year old without any apparent sign ahead of time. It is the leading cause of death of infants between the age of one month and one year in the developed countries. After thirty years substantial worldwide research, it is still impossible to predict or prevent SIDS. With the long-term goal to prevent SIDS, this study explores prediction of life-threatening events using heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is an indirect measure of the autonomic nervous system input to the cardiovascular system. The hypothesis is that infants who …
Appalachian Diabetes Patients' Preferences For Mental Health Treatment, Sameep Dilip Maniar
Appalachian Diabetes Patients' Preferences For Mental Health Treatment, Sameep Dilip Maniar
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Although psychologists are beginning to be employed in medical settings, little is known about medical patients' preferences when encountering mental health problems. One population that could be better served by this type of research is diabetes mellitus because of the poor adherence rates and high depression associated with the disease. The current study aimed to identify diabetes patients' preferences for treatments and helpers when encountering emotional difficulties. Data were collected on 80 patients from an Appalachian region of the United States who had previously been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Results indicated that diabetes patients were …
Manager Characteristics And Support For Worksite Health Promotion Programs That Target Women In Small, Blue-Collar Worksites, Leigh Wiley Belton
Manager Characteristics And Support For Worksite Health Promotion Programs That Target Women In Small, Blue-Collar Worksites, Leigh Wiley Belton
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study examined the relationship between manager support for health promotion programs and perceived benefits of health promotion activities, organizational health climate, and personal health behaviors among managers in small, blue-collar textile and light manufacturing worksites in eastern North Carolina. Ninety-eight managers completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed levels of support for, and interest in, employee health promotion programs, perception of organization climate, and perceived benefits of health promotion activities. Demographic data was also collected. Chi-square and correlation analyses were used to assess statistical significance. No significant associations were found between level of manager support and demographic characteristics, perceived benefits …
Development Of Environmental Health And Safety Database For Small Communities, Ragava S. Nadig
Development Of Environmental Health And Safety Database For Small Communities, Ragava S. Nadig
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The National Environmental Services Center (NESC) is a group of programs, national in scope, that provide a variety of environmental services directly to small community officials, engineers, technicians, regulatory officials, and private citizens.;The primary mission of each of the NESC programs is to protect public health and the environment of America's small and rural communities-those communities of less than 10,000 people. The NESC programs provide information, technical assistance, and training to help small communities deal with their wastewater, drinking water, and solid waste treatment issues.;Thousands of informational materials pass through the organization each year. This material ranges from manufacturing product …
Changes In Water Quality In Deckers Creek From 1974 To 2000, Jason Allen Stewart
Changes In Water Quality In Deckers Creek From 1974 To 2000, Jason Allen Stewart
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The Deckers Creek drainage basin covers approximately 16,600 hectares (62.9 square miles) in Monongalia and Preston Counties of West Virginia. Throughout the twentieth century, this watershed has received high levels of pollution in several forms. A 1974 study examined the water chemistry in Deckers Creek over a six-month period at 29 sample points. Water samples from the same sites were collected and analyzed monthly from March 1999 through October 2000 for acidity, alkalinity, total iron, aluminum, manganese, and other metals, as well as for fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus concentrations. Most of the tributaries sampled in 1999--2000 showed reduced metal …
West Virginians' Perceptions And Use Of Complementary Medicine, Joshua David Blevins
West Virginians' Perceptions And Use Of Complementary Medicine, Joshua David Blevins
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this study was to determine how West Virginian's perceive and use complementary medicine. The first objective was to determine the frequency of respondents who had used at least one complementary therapy in the last year. The second objective was to determine the most commonly used complementary therapies among respondents. The third objective was to examine the demographic characteristics of respondents who used complementary therapies. The fourth objective was to determine if certain types of medical problems led to complementary medicine use among respondents. The fifth objective was to show the percentage of users who informed their physician …
Subjective Norms, Attitudes, Body Mass Indices, And Self Esteem As Influences On Women's Body Image Behavior, Amy Martha Rogers
Subjective Norms, Attitudes, Body Mass Indices, And Self Esteem As Influences On Women's Body Image Behavior, Amy Martha Rogers
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The purpose of this study was to demonstrate associations between perception of body image among women and their body image behaviors. A study was needed to determine the extent to which subjective norms, attitudes, beliefs, Body Mass Index, and self esteem were associated with body image behaviors. The target population in this study was female students at West Virginia University. Data collection was facilitated through an anonymous mailed questionnaire sent to 400 female students at West Virginia University. Components of Theory of Reasoned Action were used to develop a questionnaire. Questions assessed participants' attitudes and beliefs, subjective norms, and outcomes …
Breastfeeding Personal Efficacy Beliefs Of Women University Students, Ann Pollard Cleveland
Breastfeeding Personal Efficacy Beliefs Of Women University Students, Ann Pollard Cleveland
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Many women do not initiate breastfeeding although breastfeeding promotes their baby's health. Three reasons why women do not breastfeed are women's mental organization, cultural beliefs about breastfeeding, and women's breastfeeding personal efficacy beliefs. The conceptual framework for personal efficacy beliefs is Bandura's social-cognitive theory (1992, 1995, 1997). This dissertation used a new research instrument to examine women university students' breastfeeding personal efficacy beliefs. The instrument was tested by mail survey techniques that resulted in a 70.6% respondent rate. University women's personal efficacy beliefs about breastfeeding factored into five factor subscales. In order of magnitude, the personal efficacy belief factors were …
Evaluation Of Survival And Recovery Characteristics Of Bifidobacteria As Indicators Of Fecal Pollution Of Water, John Elmer Ravenscroft Jr.
Evaluation Of Survival And Recovery Characteristics Of Bifidobacteria As Indicators Of Fecal Pollution Of Water, John Elmer Ravenscroft Jr.
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The examination of aquatic environments for bacterial indicator organisms has proven to be a useful and well-established practice for the purpose of monitoring microbiological water quality. An ideal indicator of fecal pollution should be present in sufficient density to allow detection, present simultaneous with pathogen(s), incapable of aftergrowth in external aquatic environments, easy to enumerate, and exclusively of fecal origin. Unfortunately, none of the indicator organisms presently in use today meet all of these requirements. Bifidobacteria show promise as indicators of fecal pollution in water with the additional ability of potentially distinguishing between fecal pollution of human and animal origin. …
Increasing Self-Efficacy With Diabetes Cooking Schools, Sheila Rye
Increasing Self-Efficacy With Diabetes Cooking Schools, Sheila Rye
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Dining with Diabetes, a diabetes cooking school program offered through West Virginia University Extension Service, targets dietary self-management and is guided by Social Cognitive Theory. This study compared two convenience samples of persons with diabetes. One group attended the program, (experimental, n = 34) the other, (comparison, n = 13) did not. The groups were evaluated at baseline and three-month post-test regarding knowledge about dietary management of diabetes, skill and self-efficacy in preparing simple recipes. Four participants in the experimental group (11.4%) and one person from the comparison group (7.7%) had increases in all three areas. The study also assessed …
Media Use And Perceptions Of Binge Drinking, Jason L. Price
Media Use And Perceptions Of Binge Drinking, Jason L. Price
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Examines media use by college students and their perceptions of campus alcohol use; literature review of binge drinking rates and studies, media use studies, and perceptions of alcohol use studies; overview of research methods and findings; analysis of data obtained through questionnaires distributed to undergraduates; conclusions.
Substrate Cleaning Using A Remote Hydrogen Rf-Plasma, Srinivasan Prasanna
Substrate Cleaning Using A Remote Hydrogen Rf-Plasma, Srinivasan Prasanna
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The substrates (wafers) used in semiconductor processing have a surface oxide layer (the so-called native oxide layer) and a hydrocarbon contamination layer that must be removed before growing an epitaxial film of good quality. In this work, low temperature remote rf-hydrogen plasma cleaning of II-VI and silicon semiconductor surfaces was investigated as a preparation for subsequent deposition in molecular beam and gas source molecular beam epitaxy environments. The plasma was characterized using mass spectrometric methods to determine the identity and relative fluxes of ionic and neutral species and to determine the kinetic energies of the ionic species. Etching studies were …
Pregnancy Intendedness Among A Low Income Population, Amy Nicole Thomas
Pregnancy Intendedness Among A Low Income Population, Amy Nicole Thomas
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Introduction. In the United States, approximately 3.1 million births per year are classified as unintended. Specific aims. This study will examine the association between pregnancy intendedness and support characteristics, key demographic factors and psychological factors in a low income population. Methods. Three interviews were conducted as part of the intensive evaluation. Questions focused on demographics, prenatal health behaviors and psychosocial factors. Results. Unintended pregnancy resulting in birth was most commonly found among non-White, poorly educated and those living in poverty. The support of the family or friends was not found to be significant when comparing it to the intendedness of …
Perceptions Of Hiv/Aids In West Virginia Nursing Facilities, Valarie Ann Bell
Perceptions Of Hiv/Aids In West Virginia Nursing Facilities, Valarie Ann Bell
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Introduction. Placement of HIV/AIDS infected individuals into geriatric long-term care facilities has been a problem since the beginning of HIV/AIDS. Specific aims. The objective of this study was to determine how prepared West Virginia nursing facilities are to deal with the HIV/AIDS population. Methods. An anonymous mailed survey guided by the organizational change theory was sent to all 144 certified nursing facilities within the state. Questions were asked about current policies, procedures, education, concerns, resources, and experiences specific to HIV/AIDS. Results. A total of 72 surveys were returned for a response rate of 50%. Most facilities (71.8%) offered educational programs …